Written Answers Tuesday 26 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Blood Donors

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to seek a review of the EU blood directives that prevent gay and bisexual men from giving blood in Scotland.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that preventing gay and bisexual men from giving blood is necessary to ensure a safe blood supply.

Shona Robison: Health ministers throughout the UK are advised on these matters by the Advisory Committee for the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

Blood Donors

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the session conditions under which the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service collects blood enable staff to establish insights into the lifestyle of gay and bisexual men in as straightforward a manner as for heterosexual men.

Shona Robison: The session conditions aim to be conducive in meeting the donor selection guidelines, to ensure the safety of the blood supply. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service seeks to ensure, as far as it can, confidentiality for all donors.

Blood Donors

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the strictness of the rules applicable to heterosexual blood donors.

Shona Robison: The blood donation guidelines are reviewed on a regular basis at a UK level through the UK Advisory Committee for the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs and the Joint Professional Advisory Committee for the four UK Blood Transfusion Services, based on the latest epidemiological information from the Health Protection Agency, Health Protection Scotland and other experts in this field.

Central Heating Programme

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during September 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligible applicants, in which calendar month they have been advised to anticipate installation.

Stewart Maxwell: The Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 1,910 applications were received in September 2007. Of those 1,352 applicants have been deemed eligible and 44 remained to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008.

  From the total number of applicants in September, one received a heating system in October, seven in November, eight in December and 32 received their heating system in January.

  From the applications still in progress it was expected that 319 will be installed in March, 704 in May and 70 in June.

  For 2007-08 the average time a householder has waited between applications and the month in which their system was installed has been six months, around the same as it has been since 2004-05 and lower than the eight month average waiting time in 2002-03.

Central Heating Programme

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during October 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligible applicants, in which calendar month they have been advised to anticipate installation.

Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 2,584 applications were received in October 2007. Of those 1,832 applicants have been deemed eligible and 68 remained to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008.

  From the total number of applications in October, one applicant received a heating system in November, eight in December and 15 received their heating system in January.

  From the applications still in progress it was expected that 230 would be installed in March, 1,214 in June and 83 in July.

  For 2007-08, the average time a householder has waited between applications and the month in which their system was installed has been six months, around the same as it has been since 2004-05 and lower than the eight month average waiting time in 2002-03.

Central Heating Programme

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during November 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligible applicants, in which calendar month they have been advised to anticipate installation.

Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 2,554 applications were received in November 2007. Of those 1,619 applicants have been deemed eligible and 123 remain to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008.

  From the total number of applicants in November, two received a heating system in December and 20 received their heating system in January.

  From the applications still in progress it was expected that 151 would be installed in March, 1,134 in July and 86 in August.

  For 2007-08 the average time a householder has waited between applications and the month in which their system was installed has been six months, around the same as it has been since 2004-05 and lower than the eight month average waiting time in 2002-03.

Central Heating Programme

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were under the central heating programme during December 2007 and, of these, how many have been assessed, how many applicants have been judged as eligible, how many had central heating installed in each calendar month since then and, for those remaining eligible applicants, in which calendar month they have been advised to anticipate installation.

Stewart Maxwell: The managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 1,340 applications were received in December 2007. Of those 775 applicants have been deemed eligible and 164 remain to be fully assessed at the end of January 2008.

  From the total number of applicants in December, at the end of January none have received a heating system.

  From the applications still in progress it is expected that 43 would be installed in July 635 in August and 37 in September.

  For 2007-08 the average time a householder has waited between applications and the month in which their system was installed has been six months, around the same as it has been since 2004-05 and lower than the eight month average waiting time in 2002-03.

Dentistry

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduates it expects to enrol in the 2008-09 academic year at the (a) Glasgow Dental School (b) Dundee Dental School and (c) Aberdeen dental school.

Shona Robison: The announcement of intake targets for 2008-09, for controlled subjects including dentistry is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council which expects to make an announcement in the coming weeks.

Dentistry

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its initiatives in place in 2007-08 to offer increased access to NHS dental services in Orkney and the financial resources allocated to each initiative.

Shona Robison: A number of grants and allowances have been introduced over the years to recruit and retain dentists within general dental services in Scotland, including Orkney. These are:

  commitment payments

  grants for new and existing vocational training practices

  remote areas allowance

  recruitment and retention allowance

  practice allowances

  reimbursement of practice expenses

  deprived areas allowance.

  In addition, the Scottish Dental Access Initiative, which was first introduced in 1997, provides grants for those dentists wishing to establish new or expand existing NHS dental practices. This scheme was revised in 2007 to provide for the purchase or relocation of current NHS dental practices and to include specialist orthodontic practices. The financial assistance available under this scheme has also been revised.

  NHS boards are also able to appoint directly salaried dentists to fill gaps in provision.

Dentistry

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its initiatives in place in 2007-08 to offer increased access to NHS dental services in Orkney will continue in 2008-09 and what financial resources will be allocated to each initiative.

Shona Robison: All of the initiatives in place to recruit and retain dentists to general dental services in Scotland, including Orkney, will remain in place in 2008-09.

Dentistry

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much students domiciled in Scotland who apply for the four-year graduate course at the new Aberdeen dental school will be required to pay for their tuition.

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has been decided that students domiciled in Scotland who apply for the four-year graduate course at the new Aberdeen dental school will be required to pay for their tuition.

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will add the four-year graduate course at the new Aberdeen dental school to the list of courses that are eligible for free tuition for students domiciled in Scotland taking the course as a second degree.

Shona Robison: I announced on 19 February 2008 that the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the £1,775 per year tuition fees for the students studying at the new Aberdeen Dental School.

Dentistry

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether students domiciled in Scotland who apply for the four-year graduate course at the new Aberdeen dental school have been advised that they will not be eligible to have their tuition fees paid by the government.

Shona Robison: I announced on 19 February 2008 that the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the £1,775 per year tuition fees for the students studying at the new Aberdeen Dental School. The students will be advised accordingly and further adverts will be placed in the media advertising the four year course.

Dentistry

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is given to applicants inquiring about entry to the four-year graduate BDS course at the new Aberdeen dental school on the financial support available to them in respect of (a) tuition fees, (b) dental bursaries, (c) health department bursaries, (d) student loans and (e) other support.

Shona Robison: Students applying for places at the new Aberdeen Dental School will be provided with information on the forms of financial assistance available as the application process develops in the same way as other students.

Dentistry

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why students domiciled in Scotland studying for the five-year BDS course at Glasgow and Dundee dental schools do not pay tuition fees but similar students studying for the four-year BDS course at the new Aberdeen dental school will be required to pay their own tuition fees.

Shona Robison: I announced on 19 February 2008 that the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the £1,775 per year tuition fees for the students studying at the new Aberdeen Dental School. The graduate students studying dentistry at the Glasgow and Dundee Dental Schools will also have the cost of their tuition fees met from the forthcoming academic year.

Dentistry

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in retaining dentists in the NHS as a result of the dental bursary scheme for students.

Shona Robison: In the 2007-08 academic session, 462 students studying dentistry at Glasgow and Dundee dental schools are in receipt of the dental bursary and undertake to work in NHS dental services in Scotland for up to five years following qualification.

Dentistry

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether students at the Aberdeen dental school will be eligible for the dental bursary scheme.

Shona Robison: Yes. The students studying at the new Aberdeen dental school will be eligible to apply for the dental bursary of £4,000 per year in return for an undertaking to work in NHS dental services in Scotland for a period of up to five years following qualification.

Dentistry

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether students at the Aberdeen dental school who are in receipt of a dental bursary will have their fees paid.

Shona Robison: Yes. I announced on 19 February 2008 that the Scottish Government will meet the costs of the £1,775 per year tuition fees for the students studying at the new Aberdeen Dental School. These students will also be eligible to apply for the dental bursary.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8503 by Fiona Hyslop on 21 January 2008, what total amount was allocated for inclusion in schools in each year from 2003 to 2007 and what percentage of the budget for children and young people this represented, excluding spending that would have been subsumed into other budgets such as community health.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8503 on 21 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Government’s consolidated resource accounts are laid before Parliament annually and detail expenditure on the government’s stated aims for each financial year, including spend on children and young people. In the period 2003-07 there was no "children and young people" budget line, rather expenditure on these groups ranged across the government’s budgets.

Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on assessing the potential for microgeneration targets, as referred to in Annex 1, paragraph 5.1 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007 .

Jim Mather: We already have challenging targets in this area – 50% renewable electricity by 2050 and our proposed target of 80% emissions reductions by 2050. The Scottish Climate Change Bill consultation also seeks views on sectoral targets, particularly in the area of renewables and energy demand. There are also proposed European and UK targets. We will consider the possible benefits of targets for micro-generation in this context and against the need for targets to have an impact on actual take-up.

Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the investigation into barriers to the take-up of home energy efficiency and consideration of options to help householders improve the energy efficiency of their homes, as referred to in paragraph 6.13 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007 .

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9279 on 25 February 2008. A recently completed independent review of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Support has provided evidence into some of the barriers impeding the take-up of actions to improve home energy efficiency. These range from a lack of information, advice and finance to more complex matters such as existing housing that is hard to treat.

  In line with findings we are taking additional action to help householders improve the energy efficiency of their homes, including:

  A one stop shop advice network helping householders to take action on energy efficiency, microgeneration and transport. The new network, which goes live from April 2008, will have more challenging targets – aiming to reach double the number of householders and producing four times more carbon savings as a result.

  New steps to leverage in our fair share of funding through the UK Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).

  We are currently considering what further action we need to take including the role for standards for existing non-domestic buildings and housing stock and we will shortly be issuing a consultation paper on new policy proposals.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on taking forward the findings of the joint Ofgem and Department of Trade and Industry review of distributed generation, as referred to in paragraph 1.23 of Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration: Achieving a Low Carbon Future: A Strategy for Scotland - draft for consultation, March 2007.

Jim Mather: The Energy White Paper and the Review of Distributed Generation published alongside it, contained a number of proposals and measures to assist more widespread deployment of electricity and heat generation in the UK.

  One of the key barriers identified was the costs and complexities associated with the technical and regulatory aspects of the electricity system. Ofgem and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) have since issued a joint consultation paper outlining a range of options for reducing these burdens.

  The Scottish Government is also considering what action it can take to encourage greater distributed generation, particularly in relation to heat. In doing so we are taking account of the findings of the FREDS Renewable Heat sub-group (referred to in the answer to question S3W-9278 on 25 February 2008).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is legally responsible for clearing up litter dropped or blown on to private land.

Richard Lochhead: It is the responsibility of the landowner or land management to deal with litter on their property. In some cases, the local authority may take action in relation to litter on private land. Appendix 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse provides guidance on the "Powers to Tackle Litter and Refuse on Non-relevant and Private Land":

  http://www.littercode.co.uk/docs/0043662.pdf.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to resolve concerns over appropriate asessments by competent authorities that cannot be directed by Scottish ministers under Regulation 48A of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 as amended.

Michael Russell: The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) require competent authorities to consult and have regard to any representations made by the appropriate nature conservation body for the purposes of appropriate assessment. Scottish Natural Heritage is the appropriate nature conservation body for European sites in Scotland.

  Regulation 48A applies to any such matters which are within Scottish ministers’ devolved competence. It would be for the UK Government to respond to any such concerns relating to matters which are within reserved competence.

Further Education

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of further education students were recorded as (a) disabled, (b) able-bodied or (c) status unknown in each of the last five years and, of those recorded as status unknown, how many (i) failed and (ii) refused to respond.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table shows the percentage of further education enrolments at Scotland’s colleges for which (a) a disability was stated, (b) no disability was stated, (c) where disability information was (i) unknown or (ii) refused, for the last five academic years.

  Percent of all Further Education Enrolments

  

 
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


No disability stated
75%
73%
75%
76%
76%


Disability stated
7%
8%
9%
10%
11%


Refused
0%
0%
3%
3%
3%


Not known
0%
0%
8%
7%
6%


Refused or not known
19%
19%
5%
5%
4%



  Source: Scottish Funding Council.

Further Education

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of further education students who, in each of the last five years, attended a course of not more than one year’s duration also attended a further education course in the previous year.

Fiona Hyslop: The percentage of further education students at Scotland’s colleges who attended a course of not more than one year’s duration and also attended a further education course in the previous year, as a percentage of all further education students studying a course of not more than one year’s duration is given in the following table.

  

Academic Year
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Percentage
28%
28%
29%
29%
28%



  Note: Only includes students whose places are funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

Further Education

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of disabled further education students who, in each of the last five years, attended a course of not more than one year’s duration also attended a further education course in the previous year of an equivalent or higher academic level.

Fiona Hyslop: The percentage of disabled further education students at Scotland’s colleges who attended a course of not more than one year’s duration and also attended a further education course in the previous year of an equivalent or higher academic level, as a percentage of all disabled further education students studying a course of not more than one year’s duration is given in the following table. Disabled students are taken to be those who have declared a disability. Academic levels have been determined with reference to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Courses with an academic level not referenced to SCQF have been excluded.

  

Academic Year
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Percentage
37%
36%
34%
35%
34%



  Note: Only includes students whose places are funded by the Scottish Funding Council.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any harmful effects result from botox injection treatments.

Shona Robison: The safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

  Product information for botox, available to patients and prescribers, lists potential side-effects that may be associated with its use.

  The safety of botox is continuously monitored by the MHRA through the Yellow Card Scheme. Health professionals and patients are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions to any therapeutic agents. Further information on the Yellow Card Scheme can be found at:

  www.yellowcard.gov.uk.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice should be given to people who undertake botox injection treatments for cosmetic purposes.

Shona Robison: Like all medicines, botox does have side-effects and these are listed in the Patient Information Leaflet and the Summary of Product Characteristics.

  Botox is not licensed for cosmetic use. Any such use outside the licensed indication(s) is entirely the responsibility of the prescribing physician.

  Ultimately, the decision whether or not to prescribe a medicine rests with the prescriber concerned, in discussion with the patient and bearing in mind the risks and benefits of its use.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of dermal fillers for cosmetic purposes is a safe form of treatment.

Shona Robison: The safety of medical devices such as dermal fillers is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

  Dermal fillers are made from a variety of materials. Any fillers placed on the market as medical devices must meet the requirements of the Medical Devices Directive. If the fillers are being placed on the market as devices they must be CE-marked, which indicates that the manufacturer has verified that the product will not compromise the clinical condition or the safety of patients when used under the conditions and for the purposes intended and that the risks are outweighed by the benefits expected from its use for the medical purpose intended by the manufacturer.

  The MHRA continuously monitor the safety of medicines and devices on the UK market. Information about the work of the MHRA can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on an individual’s health is of long-term use of (a) botox treatment and (b) dermal fillers.

Shona Robison: The safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

  Information about the medicinal use of botox, including potential side-effects, is contained in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). In order to minimise the risk of serious reactions due to the spread or effect of toxin, it is essential that the posology, warnings and precautions are strictly followed as stipulated in the SPC.

  Most dermal fillers used in the United Kingdom are regulated as medical devices under the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, as amended. CE-marking of a product under the Medical Devices Directive denotes that the risks are outweighed by the benefits expected from its use for the medical purpose intended by the manufacturer.

  The MHRA continuously monitor the safety of medicines and devices on the UK market. Information about the work of the MHRA can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what training, experience and qualifications are required for the purpose of injecting botox treatments.

Shona Robison: Botox can be self-administered, administered by an appropriate practitioner (for example, doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist independent prescriber) or administered by anyone acting in accordance with the directions of an appropriate practitioner. The prescriber should be satisfied that the person who will administer the treatment is competent to do so.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, under what circumstances botox injections would be prescribed for cosmetic purposes.

Shona Robison: Botox is not licensed for cosmetic purposes. However, Vistabel (botulinum toxin type A) is licensed for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe vertical lines between the eyebrows seen at frown in adults aged less than 65 years, when the severity of these lines has an important psychological impact for the patient.

  Medicines legislation allows for the use of medicines outwith their licensed indication if it is considered to be an appropriate treatment for an individual patient. In these circumstances the prescriber bears a greater degree of responsibility for the use of the medicine.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the conditions for which botox would be prescribed.

Shona Robison: The licensing of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

  Botox is indicated for the symptomatic relief of blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm and idiopathic cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis). It is indicated for the management of severe hyperhidrosis of the axillae, which does not respond to topical treatment with antiperspirants or antihidrotics.

  Botox is also indicated for focal spasticity, including the treatment of dynamic equinus foot deformity due to spasticity in ambulant paediatric cerebral palsy patients, two years of age or older and wrist and hand disability due to upper limb spasticity associated with stroke in adults.

  Medicines legislation allows for the use of medicines outwith their licensed indication if it is considered to be an appropriate treatment for an individual patient. In these circumstances the prescriber bears a greater degree of responsibility for the use of the medicine.

Health

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which stakeholders are being consulted on the design of health checks.

Shona Robison: Proposals on health checks under the Life Begins programme, have been the subject of initial consultation through the Better Health, Better Care consultation document. This was an open consultation document which was made available to all members of the public.

  A number of members of the medical profession responded in relation to health checks, and we are considering their views at present, along with a range of published evidence, including clinical information. As we continue to develop the Life Begins programme we will consider which groups we may need to discuss further detail with.

  The Keep Well programme, which complements the wider commitment to anticipatory care and involves health checks for people at risk from chronic disease in deprived communities, will be fully evaluated by 2010. This will also inform the future shape of anticipatory care.

Health

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for examining the design of health checks.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government remains committed to the application of anticipatory care, including appropriate screening and health checks, across Scotland. We are currently exploring a range of options for health checks through the Life Begins programme. The timetable for further development will depend on the precise option chosen.

  The Keep Well initiative also complements our commitment to screening and health checks, focusing on the health needs of the most deprived communities. This programme continues to be funded until 2010, when a full evaluation will be published.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated rate of health inflation was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nicola Sturgeon: In line with the HM Treasury estimate of the GDP deflator, the Scottish Government is using 2.7% as an estimate of average annual cost inflation across the full NHS resource budget.

Heritage

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) criteria require to be met and (b) assessment is made to achieve candidate status for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Linda Fabiani: To be nominated for World Heritage Site status a site must be on the UK’s Tentative List. The current List was published in 1999 and it is due to be reviewed as part of a wider review of World Heritage in the UK. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Devolved Administrations will shortly be consulting on the issues raised and on the need for a new Tentative List and the process and criteria for inclusion on it.

  Under the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention issued by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee a World Heritage Site must be of "outstanding universal value". This is assessed against 10 criteria:

  (i) represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

  (ii) exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town planning or landscape design;

  (iii) bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

  (iv) be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

  (v) be an outstanding example of traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

  (vi) be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);

  (vii) contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

  (viii) be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

  (ix) be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals, and

  (x) contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

  All sites must meet at least one of these criteria. Cultural Sites must also show authenticity and all sites must demonstrate integrity. The authenticity of a site should be assessed against the Nara document adopted by the World Heritage Committee in 1994. The Operational Guidelines state that "Integrity is a measure of the wholeness and intactness of the natural and/or cultural heritage and its attributes." A nominated property is assessed on the extent to which it:

  (a) includes all elements necessary to express its outstanding universal value;

  (b) is of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes which convey the property’s significance, and

  (c) suffers from adverse effects of development and/or neglect.

Heritage

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its role is in the process of supporting a Scottish candidate for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Linda Fabiani: To be nominated for World Heritage Site status a site must first be on the UK’s Tentative List. Scottish ministers are responsible for nominating Scottish sites for inclusion on the Tentative List.

  The Department for Culture Media and Sport and the devolved Administrations are preparing to consult on World Heritage in the UK and the need for a new Tentative List. Until the results of the consultation have been considered and all sites seeking inclusion on any new list have had the opportunity to state their case it is not appropriate for ministers to support an individual bid for inclusion.

Heritage

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the process to achieve candidate status for UNESCO World Heritage Site status takes to be agreed.

Linda Fabiani: The process for achieving World Heritage Site status is a long one. The UK nominations until 2010 have already been announced. In order to be nominated for World Heritage status a site must be on the UK Tentative List. Preparation of a nomination usually takes at least three years.

  The current Tentative List was agreed in 1999 and is due for review. A consultation on this by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the devolved Administrations is due shortly. Depending on the results of the consultation we would expect that sites seeking inclusion on the Tentative List will be asked to apply in the autumn, with a new list finalised by the end of 2009.

Heritage

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate, while ensuring compatibility with Historic Scotland’s involvement with the bid for World Heritage status, the possibility of the full reconstruction of a section of the Antonine Wall, similar to the reconstruction of part of the Roman frontier in Germany.

Linda Fabiani: The World Heritage Committee’s Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention  states that "the reconstruction of archaeological remains or historic buildings or districts is justifiable only in exceptional circumstances. Reconstruction is only acceptable on the basis of complete and detailed documentation and to no extent on conjecture." This is based on international best practice in the treatment and interpretation of archaeological sites.

  The reconstructions along the line of the German limes were specifically excluded from the World Heritage Site when it was inscribed as part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site by the World Heritage Committee in 2005. We therefore do not intend to reconstruct any part of the Antonine Wall. A working group has been established to implement the World Heritage Site Management Plan and this will be looking at improving access, understanding and interpretation of the Wall.

Human Trafficking

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7993 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 January 2008, whether £20,000 is the cumulative total amount available to all 32 Scottish local authorities or whether it is the maximum amount which can be drawn down on a case-by-case basis.

Kenny MacAskill: Women victims of trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and children both receive support under separate arrangements. For Scotland as a whole, £20,000 has been set aside in 2007-08 to pay for the support of all remaining victims who have no other recourse to public funds. It is expected that very few victims will fall into this category. On the basis of past experience, it is estimated that £20,000 will be sufficient. So far, no local authority has drawn down funding.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average reoffending rate of women is two years after they completed community sentences.

Kenny MacAskill: The two year reconviction rates of women following the date on which they completed a community sentence is not held centrally.

  The two year reconviction rates of women following the date at which they were sentenced to a community sentence in 2003-04 is shown in the following table.

  

Community Disposal
Two Year Reconviction Rate


Community Service Order1
26%


Probation Order2
58%



  Notes:

  1. Includes people who were sentenced to Supervised Attendance Orders.

  2. Includes people who were sentenced to Restriction of Liberty Orders and Drug Treatment and Testing Orders.

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average reoffending rate after two years is of women who were convicted of crimes and subsequently underwent drug rehabilitation.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average reoffending rate after two years is of women who were convicted of crimes and subsequently underwent mental health rehabilitation.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the efforts being made by local authorities to maintain an accurate and complete list of common good assets.

John Swinney: In 2007 the Scottish Government wrote to all Scottish local authorities to remind them of their responsibilities under accounting codes of practice, best value guidance, grant conditions and statute to maintain accurate records of all common goods assets held.

  The Improvement Service for Local Government is currently considering ways to support authorities to improve all aspects of asset management, including the record keeping of the assets they hold for the common good.

Local Government

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to community councils in rural areas.

John Swinney: Current legislation provides a framework for local authorities to put in place their own schemes for the establishment of community councils, to take account of local needs and geographical circumstances. The Scottish Government plays no direct role in the day-to-day operation of community councils and does not provide any direct funding to them.

  The government is committed to encouraging rural and urban community councils throughout Scotland to work to their full potential. We will shortly be consulting on a model Community Council Scheme, and a Code of Conduct for Community Councillors. These documents have been developed in partnership with the Community Council Working Group, which includes representation from the Highlands, Islands and Scottish Borders, and we are confident that they will provide the tools required for all community councils to represent their communities in the most effective way.

Maternity Services

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what each NHS board’s policy is on the provision of a 20-week scan for expectant mothers.

Shona Robison: We are committed to every pregnant woman having a foetal anomaly scan as a matter of routine and we are working with the NHS to ensure that this happens as soon as possible. Currently, all maternity units in Scotland offer an ultrasound scan at booking and around 57% of units routinely provide an 18-22 week scan for the detection of foetal anomaly. Every pregnant woman undergoes a risk assessment on their first visit to the midwife which is used to develop an individualised care plan. This assessment is continuously reviewed and the care plan altered if required. Women are referred to an obstetrician if there are clinical indications for this and in those areas where the anomaly scan is not routinely carried out, patients are selected for the investigation on the basis of clinical need. Local policies will establish the criteria by which these decisions are made.

Mental Health

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will monitor the progress of national strategies such as The Same As You? and Changing Lives, to which it has made an on-going commitment but which are not directly related to the outcomes and indicators set out in its concordat with COSLA.

Shona Robison: Improving outcomes for individuals and communities is at the core of The Same As You? and Changing Lives and is also central to the concordat with local government. Achievement of a significant number of the outcomes and indicators in the concordat will require substantial contribution from social work and social care services and adoption of the principles and aspirations of these reports. In addition, implementation of some of the key recommendations in The Same As You? will continue to be monitored through the collection of annual statistical returns.

  The Scottish Government is also working closely with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to promote a community care outcomes framework. This offers a carefully designed suite of 16 measures which community care partnerships can use to evidence the improvement of outcomes for people who use community care services and their carers. There is a close alignment between these measures and the intentions of The Same As You? and the community care elements of Changing Lives.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much use ministers have made of (a) ministerial cars, (b) private hire cars and (c) taxis for official travel since May 2007.

John Swinney: The number of official journeys taken by ministers since their appointment in May 2007, in ministerial cars, private hire cars, and taxis is shown in the following table:

  

Ministerial Car
Private Hire Car
Taxi
Total


6,095
527
115
6,737



  Notes:

  i. The table covers the period 16 May 2007 to 31 January 2008.

  ii. Ministerial car journeys are undertaken by Government Car Service (GCS) who provided Scottish Cabinet Secretary/ministers with a car and driver, and where necessary separate transportation of their official documents/boxes, which is included in these figures.

  iii. Private hire cars are only used when it is operationally impossible for GCS to provide a car.

  iv. Taxis are used for short journeys whenever it is practically possible.

  v. Each leg of a car journey is enumerated separately in the table. So a straightforward return is shown as two journeys.

  This compares with a total of 6,607 journeys by ministerial car and 518 by private hire car during the comparable period in the previous year. A record of journeys by taxi in previous years is not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been paid in financial packages to people investigated, charged or found guilty of fraud in the NHS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have agreed to use the central data warehouse in the New Ways waiting times system.

Nicola Sturgeon: All fourteen territorial NHS boards plus the Golden Jubilee National Hospital NHS Board will use the national data warehouse for New Ways of waiting. This means that all NHS boards responsible for the treatment of patients under New Ways will use the national data warehouse.

NHS Waiting Times

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for those requiring wheelchairs in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. The Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board and Project Manager will look at the way in which wheelchair waiting times information is gathered throughout Scotland, and will work with the service managers to introduce a unified approach to the collection of meaningful and transparent data.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all interested groups and individuals are entitled to participate in the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: Attendance at the National Economic Forum is by invitation of the Scottish Government only. However, ministers would be, of course, consider requests from any groups or individuals interested in participating.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it chose the groups and individuals invited to (a) make up the core membership and (b) participate in the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: The groups and individuals invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the forum were agreed by ministers at the recommendation of officials with the aim of bringing together senior figures and thought leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector.

  No final decision has yet been taken by ministers about the size and composition of any emerging core membership.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether groups and individuals are invited to participate in the National Economic Forum on a meeting-by-meeting basis or whether a general invitation has been extended for all meetings.

John Swinney: Individuals and groups were invited specifically to participate in the first meeting of the forum. Many of those invited are likely to form part of a core membership but ministers wish to retain flexibility (in terms of both size and representation), according to the theme(s) to be considered at each meeting, around that emerging core.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the same groups and individuals will be invited to each meeting of the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: The forum will not have fully fixed membership and will retain flexibility (in terms of both size and representation), according to the theme(s) to be considered at each meeting, around an emerging core membership.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many delegates attended the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: A total of 88 delegates, excluding Scottish Government officials, attended the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions were reached at the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: No formal conclusions were reached at the inaugural meeting of the Forum, which highlighted a number of issues that might be developed further at future meetings. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

  Any conclusions reached by future meetings of the forum, on these or other issues and themes, will also be published.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Economic Forum will next meet.

John Swinney: No date has been set but we expect the second meeting of the Forum to take place before the end of 2008.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the themes and issues for discussion at the meetings of the National Economic Forum are determined.

John Swinney: The theme for the first meeting of the Forum, determined by the Government, was the Government Economic Strategy. Members of the Forum considered, in particular, the contribution that three of the Government’s Strategic Objectives – achieving a Smarter; a Wealthier and Fairer; and a Greener Scotland.

  We are currently gathering and assessing feedback from members of the forum on both the structure of future meetings and the themes to be discussed and will take their views fully into account in determining the themes of future meetings.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Economic Forum is required to report on its findings and conclusions and, if so, to whom it will report.

John Swinney: Findings and conclusions of the National Economic Forum will be made public. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting of the forum, which took place on the 6 February 2008, have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish reports of the meetings of the National Economic Forum.

John Swinney: Yes. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting of the forum, which took place on the 6 February 2008, have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Economic Forum will contribute to the government’s economic strategy.

John Swinney: The purpose of the government economic strategy is to focus the Scottish Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth.

  The National Economic Forum will involve key players from across Scotland in building consensus around that purpose and will hold the government to account through assessing achievement of the measurable economic targets set out in the economic strategy.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Economic Forum will contribute to the work of the Council of Economic Advisers.

John Swinney: The Council of Economic Advisers brings together a small group of experts of the very highest calibre to advise the First Minister on how to achieve higher, sustainable economic growth. The National Economic Forum brings together senior figures and thought leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector, to help build consensus around their collective contributions to achieving increased sustainable growth.

  Both bodies will hold the government to account through assessing the achievement of the measurable economic targets set out in the Government Economic Strategy.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Economic Forum will interact with the Business in the Parliament conference.

John Swinney: The government regards the two events as complementary. The former is a partnership event, between the Scottish Government and the Parliament, which aims to facilitate engagement between Scotland’s businesses and politicians, both the government and the Parliament as a whole. The forum brings together senior figures and leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector, as an important aspect of the government’s strategy to achieve transformational change and higher sustainable economic growth throughout Scotland.

  Since both the forum and the conference involve engagement with key stakeholders on economic and enterprise matters, it is likely that the outcomes of one will of interest to the other. However, at the moment the government does not envisage any formal relationship between the two bodies.

National Economic Forum

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs of setting up the National Economic Forum, also showing the total set-up cost.

John Swinney: The costs (excluding Scottish Government staff costs), including VAT, involved in setting up the National Economic Forum, incorporating the costs of holding the first meeting of the forum on the 6 February 2008, are as follows:

  

Description
Cost


Hire of venue (inc. cost of facilities and venue staff)
£1,055.10


Catering
£6,736.28


Audio Visual
£4,343.00


Backdrops and delegate folders
£2,626.18


Total
£14,760.56

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been found guilty of defrauding the NHS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The figures requested are in the following table:

  Number1 of Successful Prosecutions for NHS Fraud by NHS Board/Special Health Board: 1 July 20002-31 January 20083

  

NHS Board/Special Health Board
Number
Year or Yearsof Successful Prosecution


Ayrshire and Arran
3
2002-03, 2007-08, 2007-08


Dumfries and Galloway
1
2004-05


Forth Valley
1
2007-08


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
4
2003-04, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2007-08


Lothian
4
2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08


NHS 24
1
2007-08


Orkney
1
2006-07


Tayside
1
2004-05


Western Isles
1
2006-07


Total
17
 



  Note:

  1. These figures do not include patients who have claimed entitlement falsely/erroneously to free NHS dental or pharmacy services or NHS optical vouchers. When identified, these patients must pay back the charge evaded/the voucher cost or a civil penalty charge may be imposed. Patients who have committed other types of fraud are included.

  2. Prior to July 2000, cases of potential fraud were investigated by the police.

  3. From July 2000 to September 2004, NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services tackled fraud in family health services only.

  The main functions of NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services are the prevention and deterrence of NHS fraud since it is less costly and more effective to discourage potential fraudsters where possible than to investigate after fraud has taken place.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been reimbursed to the NHS as a result of charges of fraud in each of the last 10 years.

Nicola Sturgeon: The figures requested are in the following table.

  Recoveries/Savings1 from NHS Fraud: 1 July 20002 to 31 January 20083

  

Type
£


Recoveries from Investigations
765,994


Recoveries by Patient Claims Team
746,333


Savings from Pro-active Exercises4 
13,948,721


Patient Fraud/Error Risk Measurement Exercise4 
4,635,963


Annualised savings from Investigations
2,068,340


Total
22,165,351



  Notes:

  1. Gross figures.

  2. Prior to July 2000, cases of potential fraud were investigated by the police.

  3. From July 2000 to September 2004, NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services tackled fraud in family health services only.

  4. Estimates from Scotland-wide exercises up to 2006-07. Estimates for 2007-08 not yet complete.

  The most cost effective method of generating fraud savings to the NHS from both a financial and business perspective is to deter and prevent fraud before fraud occurs.

National Health Service

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde concerning the possible outsourcing of its occupational health services.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde officials routinely meet to discuss matters of mutual concern and interest, and the Scottish Government is aware of the proposal to possibly outsource occupational health services. Scottish Government officials have been seeking information in order to monitor developments.

Non-Domestic Rates

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether British Legion clubs can attract discretionary rates relief from local authorities.

John Swinney: It is a matter for each local authority in Scotland to determine whether a business property, such as a British Legion club, is eligible for discretionary rates relief. The relevant provisions are contained in the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1962.

Non-Domestic Rates

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many British Legion clubs receive discretionary rates relief.

John Swinney: Information on the number of British Legion clubs (or any other organisation receiving discretionary relief) is not held centrally.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9854 on 26 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Non-Domestic Rates

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which British Legion clubs receive discretionary rates relief and what that level of relief is.

John Swinney: Information on which British Legion clubs receive discretionary relief and the level of relief received is not held centrally.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9854 on 26 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Nutrition

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8140 by Shona Robison on 28 January 2008, on how many occasions the Care Commission has taken action in respect of care homes not meeting the national care standards relating to food and nutrition.

Shona Robison: Action taken where a care home has not met the National Care Standards, including those relating to food and nutrition, is an operational matter for the Care Commission.

  You can contact the Chief Executive of the Commission at the following address:

  Ms Jacquie Roberts

  Chief Executive

  Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care

  Compass House

  11 Riverside Drive

  Dundee

  DD14NY

  E: Jacquie.roberts@carecommission.com.

Prison Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8277 by Kenny MacAskill on 21 January 2008, whether any prisoner was charged by Strathclyde Police following the incident in HM Prison Kilmarnock on 4 January 2008.

Kenny MacAskill: Following the incident, three prisoners were charged by the police with breach of the peace and the cases were referred to the procurator fiscal.

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether centres for the support and supervision of women offenders are cost effective; who funds them and whether the Executive will conduct a trial of such centres in major urban areas.

Kenny MacAskill: The 218 Centre in Glasgow for the support and supervision of women involved in the Criminal Justice system was established in 2003. Funding is provided by the Scottish Government through Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and paid through the Community Justice Authority to Glasgow City Council as the commissioning authority.

  An initial evaluation of the 218 Centre, published in April 2006, reported that the centre provided many benefits for the target group. However, the evaluation was carried out at a relatively early stage of the centre’s existence. The possibility and timing of a further study to look at longer term impacts such as cost-effectiveness and effect on reconviction rates, is currently being explored. This will help identify what particular aspects of this model have proved effective in dealing with women offenders and might be applied in other areas.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can reject potential tenders for council contracts on ethical grounds.

John Swinney: Local authorities have to comply with procurement legislation and, for lower value contracts, their own procurement policies. When selecting which potential suppliers should be invited to tender for public sector contracts, public procurement legislation only allows selection criteria to be used which addresses candidates’ economic and financial standing and their technical or professional ability, provided that the supplier has been assessed as meeting certain standards in regard to business probity – for example, payment of taxes, and not having committed an act of grave misconduct in the course of its business.

  When evaluating the tenders received, ethical issues may be taken into account provided that tenderers have been advised of this before submitting their bids, that the ethical issues are directly related to the performance of the contract in question and that such issues are consistent with the principles of equality, transparency and proportionality.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed the provision of bottled water supplied by Eden Springs (UK) Ltd.

John Swinney: We are currently reviewing our policy on the provision of potable water.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change section 23 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations (SSI 2006/1) to include a provision for rejecting tenders on ethical grounds.

John Swinney: The criteria which can be used to reject potential suppliers from being issued with an Invitation to Tender document are set out in European Directive 2004/18/EC, which is transposed into national legislation through Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Scottish Government has no scope to amend Regulation 23.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make representations to the European Commission in respect of changing EU procurement regulations to include a provision for rejecting tenders on ethical grounds.

John Swinney: There are no plans to make representation to the European Commission in respect of changing procurement Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing legislation to allow local authorities to take into account non-commercial considerations when awarding and managing contracts.

John Swinney: Section 17 of the Local Government Act 1988, an act of the Westminster Parliament, prevents a local authority from taking into account non-commercial considerations in relation to contracting matters. What are non-commercial matters is set out in the section and covers a wide range of matters. The Scottish Parliament has no scope to amend this legislation.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are able to stipulate, without breaking UK and EU procurement laws, that procured services must be locally sourced.

John Swinney: No. Public procurement legislation requires open, fair and transparent competition. It would be illegal for any local authority to show a preference for any goods or services because they are to be locally sourced or to any supplier(s) because of where they are located.

Procurement

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities are able to stipulate under environmental legislation that procured services must be locally sourced in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

John Swinney: No. Public procurement legislation requires open, fair and transparent competition. It would be illegal for any local authority to show a preference for any goods or services because they are to be locally sourced or to any supplier(s) because of where they are located

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish its renewable heat strategy.

Jim Mather: A report by the Renewable Heat Group of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) was presented to Scottish Government and made available on our website on 5 February 2008. The report makes a number of recommendations on how to develop a renewable heat market in Scotland. We will consider its recommendations carefully in developing an action plan for renewable heat, which we expect to issue later this year.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the First Minister on 30 January 2008, when the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland will cease to operate.

Linda Fabiani: The Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland will cease to operate at the end of its current term in mid 2009. Legislation will be required to abolish the body.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue and capital costs were incurred by the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

Linda Fabiani: Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland (HEACS's) revenue expenditure for these years, including salary costs, was:

  (a) £101,735 in 2005-06 and (b) £117,871 in 2006-07.

  HEACS had no separately identifiable capital expenditure in these years. Historic Scotland provides accommodation for the secretariat.

Scottish Government Agencies

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who will provide independent strategic advice to Scottish ministers on issues affecting the historic environment after the abolition of the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: We value the input of individuals with strong experience and understanding of the historic environment and would wish to retain access to such advice in the future. Historic Scotland is responsible for advising ministers on the historic environment and will ensure expert advice is provided. Historic Scotland will continue to ensure that external expertise is brought to bear on particular issues as appropriate and to consult with the public and stakeholders groups, as and when the need arises.

Scottish Government Finance

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any officials in the Financial Partnerships Unit have attended the PPP: PFI Challenge sailing regatta organised by Britannia Events in each year that it has run and whether any officials will attend in 2008.

John Swinney: No officials in the Scottish Government Financial Partnerships Unit have attended the PPP: PFI Challenge sailing regatta organised by Britannia Events, and no officials will attend in 2008.

Scottish Government Finance

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what corporate functions organised by or on behalf of PPP/PFI consortia have been attended by officials in the Financial Partnerships Unit and who met the costs associated with any attendance since 1999.

John Swinney: We do not hold records on attendance by officials in the Scottish Government Financial Partnerships Unit to corporate functions organised by or on behalf of PPP/PFI consortia. Any attendance by officials at these events would have been in the interests of furthering infrastructure investment and PPP policy, and would have been undertaken in the normal course of business. Any costs incurred in attending such events would not have been met by the Scottish Government other than, if relevant, those costs which would come under the government’s travel and subsistence rates.

Scottish Government Funding

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received under the Educational Attainment for Looked After Children scheme in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Adam Ingram: Funding allocations were based on the level of funding requested by the local authority in their pilot project proposal. Each of the proposals and the level of funding were approved by Scottish ministers. All local authorities who submitted pilot project proposals received funding.

  

Local Authority
2005-06
2006-07
Allocated funding
2007-08
Total Allocation


East Ayrshire
£180,000.00
£180,000.00
£0.00
£360,000.00


Glasgow
£67,560.00
£225,000.00
£203,446.00
£496,006.00


Highland
£110,000.00
£240,000.00
£50,000.00
£400,000.00


Midlothian 
£29,250.00
£29,150.00
£58,600.00
£117,000.00


North Ayrshire
£62,750.00
£113,272.00
£74,978.00
£251,000.00


South Lanarkshire
£130,984.00
£224,432.00
£99,070.00
£454,486.00


Stirling
£65,000.00
£85,800.00
£22,300.00
£173,100.00


Aberdeen City
£0.00
£131,500.00
£165,000.00
£296,500.00


Dumfries and Galloway
£0.00
£96,850.00
£152,500.00
£249,350.00


Dundee
£0.00
£134,200.00
£203,000.00
£337,200.00


East Lothian
£0.00
£110,000.00
£110,000.00
£220,000.00


Edinburgh
£0.00
£133,000.00
£200,000.00
£333,000.00


Falkirk
£0.00
£92,000.00
£92,000.00
£184,000.00


Fife
£0.00
£152,802.00
£73,901.00
£226,703.00


North Lanarkshire
£0.00
£56000.00
£190,000.00
£246,000.00


Renfrewshire
£0.00
£110,807.00
£113,045.00
£223,852.00


South Ayrshire
£0.00
£60,846.00
£89,056.00
£149,902.00


West Dunbartonshire
£0.00
£92,000.00
£112,000.00
£204,000.00


West Lothian
£0.00
£183,890.00
£65,000.00
£248,890.00


Inverclyde
£0.00
£15000.00
£209859.00
£224859.00


Total
£645,544.00
£2,466,549.00
£2,283,755.00
£5,395,848.00

Scottish Government Funding

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority received under the Antisocial Behaviour Noise Grant Scheme in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Michael Russell: The table below details how much funding each participating local authority received under the Antisocial Behaviour Noise Grant Scheme for each year of the 2004 spending review.

  

 Local Authority
 2005-06(£)
 2006-07(£)
 2007-08(£)


 Aberdeen
 265,511.22
 260,100.00
 148,639.37


 Angus
 91,443.16
 119,067.41
 32,455.07


 Argyll and Bute
 17,636.76
 16,131.21
 4,421.01


 Clackmannanshire
 2,858.00
 Nil
 Nil


 Clackmannanshire and Stirling (Joint)
 Nil
 80,438.94
 22,793.55


 Dumfries and Galloway
 167,275.13
 159,835.36
 69,438.76


 Dundee
 Nil
 385,020.98
 221,110.93


 East Dunbartonshire
 Nil
 122,660.62
 76,398.18


 East Lothian
 86,938.00
 74,400.00
 18,600.00


 East Renfrewshire
 5,285.26
 62,952.15
 14,764


 Edinburgh
 669,187.97
 647,216.81
 174,127.02


 Falkirk
 66,860.01
 94,801.71
 46,399.63


 Fife
 Nil
 377,936.50
 68,980.93


 Glasgow
 604,998.66
 325,631.03
 224,170.05


 Inverclyde
 10,547.60
 13,212.76
 5,871.34


 Midlothian
 20,066.83
 20,666.90
 11,495.24


 North, South and East Ayrshire (Joint)
 183,658.29
 247,936.50
 69,108.83


 North Lanarkshire
 325,058.62
 315,124.92
 136,959.34


 Orkney
 11,092.00
 Nil
 Nil


 Perth and Kinross
 16,883.03
 219,673.17
 59,225.09


 Renfrewshire
 22,985.00
 71,451.00
 17,704.00


 South Lanarkshire
 261,265.99
 256,511.58
 43,038.34


 West Dunbartonshire
 130,338.48
 213,098.40
 0.00


 West Lothian
 132,131.89
 213,098.40
 69,170.04

Scottish Government Funding

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority received from the Contaminated Land Grant in each year of the 2004 spending review.

Richard Lochhead: Details of the contaminated land grant allocated to local authorities in each of the three years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 are shown in the following table:

  Capital Grants for Contaminated Land

  

Local Authority
2005-06 £000
2006-07 £000
2007-08 £000


Aberdeen City
69
69
139*


Aberdeenshire
68
68
258*


Angus
98
98
98


Argyll and Bute
72
72
72


Clackmannanshire
50
50
50


Dumfries and Galloway
163
163
313*


Dundee City
142
142
413*


East Ayrshire
181
181
181


East Dunbartonshire
61
61
61


East Lothian
57
57
57


East Renfrewshire
50
50
50


Edinburgh, City of
181
181
181


Eilean Siar
72
72
356*


Falkirk
126
126
640*


Fife
325
325
1,310*


Glasgow City
580
580
1,120*


Highland
326
326
1,077*


Inverclyde
57
57
532*


Midlothian
133
133
133


Moray
50
50
703*


North Ayrshire
194
194
194


North Lanarkshire
662
662
1,812*


Orkney
50
50
50


Perth and Kinross
77
77
682*


Renfrewshire
300
300
3,547*


Scottish Borders
53
53
743*


Shetland
50
50
50


South Ayrshire
69
69
429*


South Lanarkshire
281
281
281


Stirling
92
92
92


West Dunbartonshire
101
101
2,101*


West Lothian
260
260
510*


Scotland Total
5,050
5,050
18,235



  Note: *indicates local authorities offered enhanced grant provision for specific remediation projects.

  The figures for 2007-08 include an additional £13.185 million distributed to 18 local authorities for specific remediation projects aimed at cleaning up contaminated land creating a risk to public health or the wider environment.

Scottish Water

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s average leakage rates were in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2008 to date, expressed in units per day.

Stewart Stevenson: The average leakage rates were as follows:

  

 
 
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Scottish Water leakage - distribution losses (including trunk mains and service reservoirs)
Ml/day
986.127
982.445
979.313
952.640
855.312


Customers’ leakage - supply pipe losses
Ml/day
145.943
163.085
159.987
151.412
148.509


Total leakage - total losses
Ml/day
1,132.070
1,145.530
1,139.299
1,104.052
1,003.820



  Source: Scottish Water.

  2007-08 information is not available in a comparable form but will be reported to the Water Industry Commission when complete and consistent reports are available for the full reporting year 2007-08.

Voluntary Sector

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to monitor, audit and assess the success of local voluntary sector and community projects and initiatives funded by it or its agencies.

Jim Mather: Funding for local third sector organisations and delivery projects largely sits with local authorities and other public bodies. It is for these authorities to ensure appropriate monitoring, evaluation and audit processes are in place, subject to the oversight of Audit Scotland.

  The Scottish Government has a number of funds which support local action and which have monitoring, evaluation and audit processes in place in line with government funding guidelines. These are also ultimately subject to the oversight of Audit Scotland.